Combined guitar and banjo

ABSTRACT

A guitar and banjo combined in one instrument with means for instantaneous conversion from one instrument to the other without retuning or other change except a simple manipulation of a special bridge structure which, in one position makes the banjo elements substantially inoperative and in the other position bridges the strings to the banjo head so that the instrument essentially becomes very similar to a banjo in performance.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Tracy Rosser Beasley 2332 Modesto St., San Diego, Calif. 92105 [21] Appl. No. 91,093 [22] Filed Nov. 19, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11,1972

[54] COMBINED GUITAR AND BANJO 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 84/263, 84/307 [51] Int. CL. G10d 1/00 [50] Field of Search 84/263,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 480,816 8/1892 Haney 84/263 536,634 4/1895 Kyle 84/263 1,634,730 7/1927 Trauaglini 84/263 Primary Examiner- Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. Franklin Att0rney--Knox & Knox ABSTRACT: A guitar and banjo combined in one instrument with means for instantaneous conversion from one instrument to the other without retuning or other change except a simple manipulation of a special bridge structure which, in one position makes the banjo elements substantially inoperative and in the other position bridges the strings to the banjo head so that the instrument essentially becomes very similar to a banjo in performance.

PATENTED mu 1 m2 Fig. I

IIHHW l i 44 5a 26 A: 3 AW 0 m 7. 0 2 M 2 v o 8 8 2 u. E u n F m INVENTOR. TRACY R BEASLEY 341M315 & W

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Banjoists are very often proficient on the guitar and the reverse is also true to an extent rendering it quite attractive to players of these instruments to have both instruments at hand for alternative use in playing different types of musical selections and also for variation in a single selection or accompaniment. However, to lay one instrument aside and to pick up the other can necessitate a distinct interruption of such duration as to preclude this technique from becoming popular. Variation is therefore usually achieved by changing the fingering, modulation to a higher key and like contrivances.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This combined guitar and banjo fills the need for a quickchange instrument so that a player may instantly effect a very definite variation or graduation in mood and brilliance during a single musical selection. The item incorporates a banjo shell and head in the body of the guitar, with special bridge structure enabling the strings to be free of the banjo portion or alternatively bridged to, that is, contacting the banjo as well as in the manner of a guitar. The guitar body may be of the solid type as used in many electric guitars, or hollow, it being necessary of course in any case to provide space in the body, beneath the strings, for the banjo shell and head. The bridge means as claimed is essentially a guitar bridge modified to span the banjo portion and shiftable easily and quickly to bring a banjo bridge into play, the latter being essentially a contact ensuring transmission of the vibrations of the strings to the banjo head. The banjo bridge is carried to the body of the guitar and the guitar bridge is arranged to contact the strings at virtually the exact points contacted by the banjo bridge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a guitar body incorporating the banjo structure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing the bridge structure in banjo playing position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, but with the bridge structure in guitar playing position; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the detail of the Z- bracket as viewed on line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The guitar may be essentially conventional having either a hollow body 10 or the body may be of solid types as commonly employed in electric guitars. The top plate 12 of a hollow body or a corresponding upper face portion of a solid body is formed with a circular opening I4 to accept the banjo shell 16 with its head 18 and head securing ring 20. A convenient means of attachment of the banjo elements is illustrated as comprising blind nuts 22 inserted on the underside of the top plate 12 near the periphery of the opening 14 to receive screws 24 fasteningZ-brackets 26 secured to the shell as indicated at 28. In a solid guitar body similar means may be employed to hold the banjo elements in place.

The instrument has a neck 30 with conventional frets 32 to constitute a fingerboard and strings 34 stretched between tuning pegs, not shown, as well as a tailpiece 36 or the equivalent. In a hollow guitarbody a sound outlet 38 may be provided.

The bridge means is essentially a means for quick and convenient conversion from guitar arrangement to banjo and the reverse, without materially disturbing the tuning, that is. without changing the effective length of the tuned strings. The bar 42 and this knob may be knurled to facilitate the manual rotational adjustment of the bar 42 with its uitar bridge 40. Means are provided to lrmlt the movement 0 the bar so that when the guitar bridge is in the guitar playing position indicated in FIG. 5, there is no direct contact of the guitar bridge 40 with the banjo bridge 48. This noncontact can be assured by a detent spring 50 mounted on the corresponding bearing block 44 to engage a flat on a block 52 fixed to an end of bar 42. A second knob or lever 54 is secured to an intermediate part of the bar 42 for alternative use by the player.

The banjo bridge 56, as illustrated, contacts the banjo head 18 and is preferably spring pressed into such contact by a spring arm 58 which is terminally secured to the body 10 at a point underneath the strings 34 and adjacent to the tailpiece as 36 as at 60.

It will be noted that when the guitar bridge 40 is in its inoperative position as shown in FIG. 4 the banjo bridge 56 is in contact with the strings 34 at virtually exact points contacted by the guitar bridge as in FIG. 5. This is accomplished by arrangement of the detent 50 and the shaping of the guitar bridge so that when in operating position an offset bridge 40 is in its inoperative position as shown in FIG. 4, the banjo bridge 56 is in contact with the strings 34 at virtually the exact points contacted by the guitar bridge as in FIG. 5. This is accomplished by arrangement of the detent 50 and the shaping of the guitar bridge so that when in operating position an offset edge portion 62 of the guitar bridge 40 overhangs the banjo bridge 48 and the tuning is substantially unaffected by conversion from one instrument to the other.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

I. A musical instrument comprising:

a guitar having a body, a neck with a fingerboard, strings,

and a tailpiece;

a banjo shell secured within said body and having a head beneath said strings; and

bridge means manually adjustable to two settings to bridge said strings alternatively to said body and to said head.

2. A musical instrument according to claim I wherein said bridge means in said two settings contacts said strings at substantially the same points.

3. A musical instrument according to claim I wherein said bridge means includes a guitar bridge mounted on said body and a banjo bridge contacting said head.

4. A musical instrument according to claim 3 wherein said guitar bridge has a supporting bar terminally mounted on said body and spanning said banjo head.

5. A musical instrument according to claim 4 wherein said supporting bar is mounted for manual rotational adjustment thereof to move said guitar bridge into operative and inoperative positions.

6. A musical instrument according to claim 3 wherein said banjo bridge is mounted on a spring arm secured to said body. 

1. A musical instrument comprising: a guitar having a body, a neck with a fingerboard, strings, and a tailpiece; a banjo shell secured within said body and having a head beneath said strings; and bridge means manually adjustable to two settings to bridge said strings alternatively to said body and to said head.
 2. A musical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said bridge means in said two settings contacts said strings at substantially the same points.
 3. A musical instrument according to claim 1 wherein said bridge means includes a guitar bridge mounted on said body and a banjo bridge contacting said head.
 4. A musical instrument according to claim 3 wherein said guitar bridge has a supporting bar terminally mounted on said body and spanning said banjo head.
 5. A musical instrument according to claim 4 wherein said supporting bar is mounted for manual rotational adjustment thereof to move said guitar bridge into operative and inoperative positions.
 6. A musical instrument according to claim 3 wherein said banjo bridge is mounted on a spring arm secured to said body. 